CoD MW3 + Amnesty Int'l? Uh... maybe not

Started by bayonetbrant, February 15, 2012, 01:49:57 PM

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bayonetbrant

http://paxsims.wordpress.com/2012/02/13/amnesty-international-call-of-duty-mw3/

QuoteA couple of weeks ago, the blogosphere and Twitter were full of news of an innovative partnership that pointed to new ways in which digital games and social causes could work together to raise funds and build awareness. According to reports and the video below, for $1 players of the popular tactical shooter game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 could purchase a special map and game mod. This would allow access to a hostage-rescue scenario, while the money would go Amnesty International's global human rights campaigns.

http://vimeo.com/35007919

...except it isn't true. The video is simply a conceptual experiment by a small group of advertising students. It doubtful that AI had anything to do with it at all. It is certainly clear to anyone that has the slightest knowledge of AI's work that they weren't likely to partner with a game that is all about killing, and often not in ways that are compliant with international humanitarian law.

What is striking in all this is not that someone suggested it. As student work, it is rather interesting, and the advertising world is certainly full of edgy videos intended to demonstrate creative cleverness (as illustrated by this classic example—which had nothing to do with VW, who were rather annoyed by the negative publicity it generated when the video went viral).

more at the link.

so there's two issues here:

1.  Should a school project be able to just appropriate copyrighted media licenses like this, especially in the day & age of instant worldwide distribution at the speed of a mouse click?

2.  If it was real - is this any sort of partnership you'd want to see in real life?  Two organizations that would seem to be diametrically opposed on a variety of issues teaming up for a joint fund-raiser and cross-promotion?
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Jarhead0331

Quote from: bayonetbrant on February 15, 2012, 01:49:57 PM

1.  Should a school project be able to just appropriate copyrighted media licenses like this, especially in the day & age of instant worldwide distribution at the speed of a mouse click?

The education exceptions to intellectual property rights are fairly narrow.  Although I am by no means an expert in this field, I do believe this educational project may be covered by the Technology, Education and Copyright Harmonization Act of 2001 (TEACH).  However, there are very narrow circumstances for use and DRM becomes an issue under the law.  For instance, the statute requires that, in order to benefit from its protection, educational institutions transmitting digital content must use technological measures that reasonably prevent retention of the work for longer than the class session and further dissemination of the work to others.  Additionally, the Statute also bars interference with underlying DRM restrictions imposed on content by rights holders.  Accordingly, under this law, educators and students cannot simply "appropriate copyrighted media licenses" or permit the distribution of the software beyond the classroom.

Quote from: bayonetbrant on February 15, 2012, 01:49:57 PM
2.  If it was real - is this any sort of partnership you'd want to see in real life?  Two organizations that would seem to be diametrically opposed on a variety of issues teaming up for a joint fund-raiser and cross-promotion?

I don't see why not.
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